Glute Rehabilitation exercises: The glutes consist of 3 muscles.

The medius and minimus are located on the lateral surface of your hip, and the larger maximus on the posterior surface. They included in many exercise classes because of their aesthetic appeal. However they have an important functional role to play in walking and sports in addition to preventing low back and pelvic dysfunction. Unfortunately when injured these muscles frequently become dysfunctional and exacerbate the injury resulting in prolonged and recurring symptoms. It is important when rehabilitating from an injury you exercise these muscles at very low loads in a slow and precise manner. Failure will result in other muscles dominating the glutes and a failure to resolve the problem. Below are 5 exercises for your initial rehabilitation. 1) Glute activation: It is important to contract the correct muscle. To ensure you are contracting gluteus medius lay on your side with your thumb gently palpating 1/2 way between the top of your ilium (pelvis) and the bony prominence at the base of your pelvis which is called your greater trochanter. With your fingers of the same hand palpate the posterior buttock. Slowly lift your leg and you should feel the muscles under your thumb contract just before the posterior hip muscles. To ensure you are contracting your gluteus maximus lay on your back with your knees bent. Gently palpate just below the bony prominences of your buttock. Gently push your heels into the floor and feel the muscle under your fingers contracting. 2) isometric hip abduction. Laying on your side with your thighs straight but knees bent at 90degrees. Palpate the gluteus medius as above and slowly lift the top leg and hold for 6-10 secs. 3) stand with your back against a wall. feet hip width apart and approximately 30 cm away from wall. knees are slightly bent. keeping your feet on the floor slowly take your knees apart and bring them together again. 4) Isometric contraction: Lay on your side with your back and heels against a wall. Knees bent at 90 degrees. Slowly lift top leg 2cm and gently push heel against wall. Hold for 10 secs before lowering 5) Bridges: Lay on your back with feet together, knees bent. Slowly lift your buttocks and low back off the floor and lower. Ensure your back remains long. If you feel a cramp in your thighs you should not perform this exercise you have further strengthened your glutes.

Perform these exercises as part of your early rehab programme or as a maintenance regime. In the next article we will show you later stage progressions before finally a set of exercises for your glutes that are functional and will improve them aesthetically.